Religion in São Tomé and Príncipe

Settlement on the São Tomé island began in 1493, when Álvaro Caminha received the territory from King John II, along with a special privilege to buy slaves for the development of the area.

[13] After the Portuguese began colonizing São Tomé and Príncipe, black slaves were brought from the African continent to work on plantations on the islands.

In the early 17th century, the Catholic bishop of São Tomé, Pedro da Cunha Lobo, complained about the "problem of Judaism" on the island.

In the 20th century, there was a particular influx of Jewish traders involved in the sale of cocoa and sugar; some of them are buried in the cemeteries of São Tomé and Príncipe.

[17] The number of Muslims in São Tomé and Príncipe ranges from 1% to 2% of the population and are mainly migrants from Nigeria, Cameroon and other African countries.